i stopped body building about 8 years ago. the grams of fat, carbs, sodium, etc are totally different because i'm working on a different goal. but how do i determine the amount "i" need for my age and my goal now?
I am working to loose 20lbs, tone and just be "healthy"
i am 5'6", female, 50 yrs old.
can anyone help me with the ratios?

Hi there. I don't know how you determine what your specific fat ratio should be, but in general it is recommended that fat comprise 25-35% of your total calories. I posted a similar question about ratios recently and someone else said a 40p/40c/20f ratio worked well.

I have trouble figuring out percentages of calories for fat intake. Can someone tell me how many grams of fat a 45 year old non-menopausal, low activity, overweight woman should consume as a maximum? (Of course, it isn't me! It is a friend of mine.....) hee hee

"Reduce foods high in fat. Fat should provide 30 percent or less of your total daily calories. Also, limit saturated fat to less than 10 percent of your total daily calories. Saturated fat raises cholesterol and increases your risk of heart disease. Saturated fat is found in fatty meats, whole milk, ice cream and cheese. Limit cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams (mg) or less per day."

I've found that processed foods claiming to be low in fat have compensated by increasing the amount of sugar, usually in the form of fructose. Read food labels carefully. Low fat does not mean low calorie.

I'd agree: about 30% calories from fat. While I cannot give you an exact daily caloric limit since we don't know your actual weight, I'd guestimate if you are 20lbs over your IBW you may weigh 150: So we'll go from that figure: So at 150lb, daily caloric intake would be at about 2000 cal/d. To lose 1 lb per week, subtract 500 calories per day, leaving 1500 calories. 30% of 1500 total calories = 500 calories of fat. FINALLY since their are 9 calories per gram of fat, 500 calories of fat divided by 9 calories per gram of fat = ANSWER = 55 grams of fat per day.

Of course this is all just a good guestimate since I don't have all your parameters (actual wt, level of exercise...etc).

There are as many different answers to this question as there are people who ask it. I would suggest you check with your doctor and maybe have some bloodwork done, if you haven't recently, just to be sure you don't need a "low fat" diet for whatever reason. That will probably give you the most thorough answer for you individually. Just make sure you are getting good fats, like those from nuts, avocados, olive oil, etc.

__________________Cassie

And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.
-John Steinbeck

I don't know that the ratios are all that important except that at least 20% of your calories should come from fat. I have been tracking my ratios since January of 2010 and have a Protein/Carb/Fat ratio of 25/35/40. I have lost 18 pounds so far. One of the reasons my fat ratio remains high is I have whole milk with breakfast. I have read of fat being like the racing fuels of foods. Fat has a higher caloric content (9 calories/gram)then either carbohydrates or Protein (4 calories/gram) and so provides more energy than any other food source. I also read that it is easier for your body to convert fat to energy than to store it as fat. In contrast it is easier for you body to convert simple carbohydrates to fat than to burn them as energy. I would recommend that you concentrate on reducing your intake from simple carbs (white bread, sugar, etc..) and keep your total calories, regardless of the ratio, at a 500-600 calorie deficit. As the previous poster said make sure your fat sources are good ones. This will allow you to lose 1-1/2 to 2 pounds a week. Its worked for me.

All the studies that I've read about weight-loss and ratios of carbs protein and fat indicate that people tend to initially lose weight faster on high protein diets but that in the end all diets are equally successful. The bad thing about high fat foods is that you must eat a smaller amount since fat is more calorie-dense.

However, I think it tends to be personal. Some people need that protein to be full. Some need a little more fat content to stay full. Personally, I stay full longer with high fiber foods and foods that need to be chewed more. But everyone needs a little fat in their diet because it's essential for life... preferably canola or olive oil fat sources... or fish.

In general, it may be wise for people who are over 50 years old if they have heart/stroke concerns to start watching their fat intake and try to stick to less than 30% calories from fat. Less than 30% calories from fat is recommended for people who have high cholestrol or lipid levels.